Monkeys unite civic bodies

The civic bodies in the city have pledged to work together to end the menace of stray monkeys a week after Delhi High Court Chief Justice D Murugesan called for “co-ordination” on the issue.

“(The) Delhi government, MCD (the erstwhile Municipal Corporation of Delhi) and the NDMC (the New Delhi Municipal Council) have buried the hatchet on the issue of catching stray monkeys and, in a meeting, have decided that all agencies will work in close co-ordination to end the menace,” Meera Bhatia, the lawyer for New Friends Colony residents’ welfare association, the petitioner in the case, said.

Justice Murugesan had told the municipal agencies, “It seems no one is ready to catch stray monkeys. All agencies need to work in co-ordination.”

“After the meeting, the MCD has withdrawn their application before the court expressing helplessness in catching monkeys,” Delhi government counsel Zubeida Begum said. “(The) MCD and (the) Delhi government will work in close co-ordination,” she said.

The tussle among civic agencies on who should shoulder the responsibility of ridding Delhi of the simians had been raging on since the court had in 2008 ordered steps to catch the monkeys. The MCD maintained that it was the responsibility of the wildlife department of the Delhi government to catch the monkeys as it was a wildlife issue.

But the Delhi government had said it was the job of the civic agency entrusted by the court.

Pesticide in veggies: Scientist steps inAgricultural scientist MS Swaminathan has agreed to vet the guidelines drafted by experts appointed by the Delhi High Court on how to reduce levels of pesticides in vegetables and fruits sold in Delhi.

On August 18, 2012, the court had slammed the experts for delay in drafting the guidelines.

“We are concerned with the level of pesticide. It needs to be brought down. The committee needs to meet more frequently,” a bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul had said.

“Things cannot work like this. It cannot be at their leisure and pleasure. This is totally unacceptable,” Justice Kaul said. - HTC